NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Vanderbilt dropped its third-straight match after coming up short Friday afternoon, 4-2, to the hands of No. 32 Auburn at the Currey Tennis Center.
The Commodores (13-7, 4-4) have lost six-straight in the series with Auburn who improved to 12-6 overall and 4-4 in SEC play.
Auburn was able to seize the momentum to begin the match by winning the doubles point. At No. 2 doubles, Dennis Lengsfeld and Lucas Lopasso defeated Gonzales Austin and Suresh Eswaran, 8-5. Lukas Ollert and Joseph Van Dooren then took down Rhys Johnson and Jeff Offerdahl in the No. 3 position, 8-2.
The Tigers extended their lead to 2-0 after Lengsfeld defeated Offerdahl in No. 3 singles, 6-2, 6-0. Vanderbilt would get its first point from Austin in the No. 2 position. Austin snapped a four-match losing streak with his straight sets win over Daniel Cochrane, 6-3, 6-3.
Ryan Lipman tied the match, 2-2, after he recorded his 16th dual victory of the season. The Nashville native defeated Andreas Mies, 6-2, 7-6(10-8). Lipman is 26-7 overall this season and 6-2 in SEC play.
After a battle in the No. 5 spot, Auburn would regain the lead, 3-2. Lopasso was able to hold off Marc van der Merwe in straight sets (7-6, 7-6), but both sets went to the tiebreak.
Ollert clinched the win for Auburn with his win over Kris Yee in the No. 4 position, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(3). The loss for Yee snapped his 16-match win streak and is his first loss in SEC play (6-1).
The Commodores host Alabama Sunday at 12 p.m. before welcoming Kentucky next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the final home contest of the 2013 season at the Currey Tennis Center.
Singles Results
1. No. 17 Ryan Lipman (VU) def. Andreas Mies (AU) 6-2, 7-6(10-8)
2. No. 62 Gonzales Austin (VU) def. No. 106 Daniel Cochrane (AU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Dennis Lengsfeld (AU) def. Jeff Offerdahl (VU) 6-2, 6-0
4. No. 105 Lukas Ollert (AU) def. Kris Yee (VU) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(3)
5. Lucas Lopasso (AU) def. Marc van der Merwe (VU) 7-6(5), 7-6(10-8)
6. Rhys Johnson (VU) vs. Joseph Van Dooren (AU) 3-6, 4-5, unfinished
Doubles Results
1. Lipman/van der Merwe (VU) vs. No. 5 Cochrane/Mies (AU) 4-7, unfinished
2. Lengsfeld/Lopasso (AU) def. Austin/Eswaran (VU) 8-5
3. Ollert/Van Dooren (AU) def. Johnson/Offerdahl (VU) 8-2
Order of finish
Singles: 3,2,1,5,4
Doubles: 3,2
